


Shah Mat

by thesez



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Chess, M/M, Oblique Flirting, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-31 20:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12689337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesez/pseuds/thesez
Summary: two boys play some chess





	Shah Mat

"You've never played chess before?"

Shuichi didn't look too convinced. Kokichi watched intently from his seat, arms behind his head and grin cheery, as the other boy placed the board on the table and began to place the pieces on it appropriately.

"It's true! I'm glad you invited *me* out for a game this time, but I have to admit, I'm a little out of my element on this one."

"... I'm not sure if I buy that."

"That's fine, I won't charge you, you can just take it!" He flapped a hand dismissively. "I'm an evil supreme leader before I'm a king of games. I live life far too fast and loose to play something so prolonged and intricate."

Shuichi took the seat opposite.

"A supreme leader doesn't need to be a tactician?"

"Not at all! If you're good improviser, all the other crap doesn't matter. I haven't planned a day in my life."

Shuichi shook his head for a moment. Kokichi grabbed the chess board and turned it so that the white side was in front of him.

"Since I'm a beginner and I don't know aaany of the rules, I'd like to go first, so I'm at less of a disadvantage."

"... But you know that white moves first?"

"Nee-heehee! Nope! Does it? I just thought it was more appropriate."

He gestured down towards his outfit and Shuichi's eyes followed - ah, the white uniform. His gaze lingered for a moment. White uniform and checked-print bandana. Hm.

"And black is *your* thing, so," Kokichi continued. "I think it suits you!" 

For the chess pieces, or his clothing? Kokichi's smile was as genuine and inscrutable as ever.

"So, how about you run me through this?"

Shuichi was very sure that wasn't necessary, but he acquiesced nonetheless. There was something about explaining things that he found pleasant, and especially now, comparatively harmless things like a game's rules.

"Well, there are six types of chess pieces, each only capable of moving a certain way. Eight pawns, which can move forward one vacant space, or two spaces forward, if it hasn't moved yet." 

He touched one of the row of pawns on his side, and moved on to the others in turn.

"Two rooks, which can move any number of vacant squares, horizontally or vertically. Two knights,"

He could imagine the horse's whinny as he tapped it. Nee-heehee?

"Which can move in, essentially, a capital 'L' pattern, two squares vertically and one horizontally, or two horizontally and one vertically. Two bishops, which can move any number of vacant squares diagonally. One queen, able to move any number of spaces in any direction provided they're vacant, and finally, one king, only able to move one space in any direction."

Kokichi hummed, unimpressed.

"That doesn't sound too useful. Why did they even bother putting that piece in at all?"

"Ah, well, the king is actually the most pivotal piece there. The game consists of capturing pieces by moving your piece onto an occupied square of your opponent's, which then removes their piece from the board, and the goal of chess is to put the king in 'check': a position where it's unable to move without the threat of being captured on the opponent's turn. If there's no way to move it out of check, the king is in checkmate, and the game ends."

"Hm! I'm sure I'll get the hang of it, but it sounds like it could get reeeally boring reeeally quickly. I don't know if it's going to be worth my time." His eyelids lowered, sly. "So, I wanna up the ante and make sure it stays interesting the whole way through."

"You're proposing a condition? Am I going to have to play for my life again?"

"Nah. That's old hat, I'm done with that now. I have something better in mind."

"What would that be?"

"If *I* win, you have to do anything I say. And if *you* win... you'll do anything I want."

The side of Shuichi's mouth quirked upward for a moment.

"That's just the same thing phrased a different way."

"Aw, ya got me! O-kay, if you win, I'll be under *your* command. Better?"

Shuichi covered his mouth with his hand in contemplation. That had bad news written all over it, but he couldn't quite work out what form that headline would take.

"... Anything?"

"Aaanything. Nee-heehee! Don't worry, Shuichi. I won't make it *too* hard on you."

Shuichi sighed.

"You're very confident, for a beginner."

"Aha, I didn't get to where I am by being stupid, after all. But it's a lie, I'm totally scared *witless*. You're smart, and you know what you're doing, I'm sure you have nothing to fear from me."

Unfortunately, intelligence was inextricable from curiosity. Two sides of the same coin, and when he flipped it, curiosity came out on top. There was no other way forward, he'd take the bait.

"I accept."

"Good."

Kokichi smirked and turned his attention to the board. He seemed sincerely in thought, touching pieces briefly, as if feeling out his moves in a very literal way, but had yet to commit to which, and how.

"You're sure learning as you go won't be too difficult for you?"

"I work better under pressure. Now lay off, I have a move to make."

He took a pawn - f2 - and placed it forward only one space - f3, leaving his king exposed on the diagonal. Shuichi furrowed his brows and frowned, but when he looked up, Kokichi's expression was neutral. In response to Shuichi's glance, he raised his eyebrows and smiled again, purposely, like he knew Shuichi expected to see something there that would help explain his action. He wouldn't get what he was looking for.

Shuichi took much less time to move his own pawn two spaces - from e7 to e5. He wasn't an expert by any means, but he *did* recognise this set-up, and it would have been foolish to not capitalise on it, with the stakes so high.

"Ooh, decisive," Kokichi purred. "You must have a good handle on this game. Play often?"

"I dabble. I picked it up as a child, and every so often I find myself coming back to it. I'm not the best, but... I like it. It's meditative."

Shuichi found himself smiling at the memory of simpler days, unwittingly.

"It's nice to have something to get lost in," Kokichi agreed.

He moved again. A different pawn, two spaces forward, g2 to g4. It left the path to his king was entirely clear. Shuichi could move his queen diagonally, d8 to h4, and from there, Kokichi's king would be mated. A fool's mate. The quickest possible checkmate in the game, over in two turns... and achievable only by black. His face blanked at the thought.

"Your turn," Kokichi prompted him. 

After a very long pause, Shuichi picked up a piece, and set it down again on a different square.

Kokichi cackled in delight.


End file.
